Plural-lamp socket.



PATBNTED MAR. a, 1903." R. B. BENJAMIN. PLURAL LAMP SOCKET. APPLICATION IILED'TEB. 7, 1902.

no MODEL.

m; NORRIS PETERS 00., FHOIO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION ILLINOIS.

PLU'RAL-L'A'M'P SOCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 721,7 77, dated March 3, 1903. Original application filed May 20,1898. Renewed August 10, 1901, Serial No. 71,635. Divided and this application filed February 7, 1902. Serial lie- 93,011. (Ndmodeh) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chi cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Plural-Lamp Sockets, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This application is a division of my application filed originally May 20, 1898, Serial No. 681,202, renewed August 10, 1901, Serial No. 71,635.

I 5 The subject-matter of this portion of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional View of a plural-lamp socket embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the inner contact-plate of the invention. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the insulating block or portion of the base shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a detail view show'ing how the threaded shells may be made sub- 2 5 stantially flush with the casing of the socket. Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

An insulating-base a in the form of a ring of insulating material is adapted to be sup 3o ported from a casing e', as shown in full lines, or it may be mounted upon a portion 6 adapted to be secured to the wall, this feature being shown in dotted lines. The casing e is provided with a bushing e which is adapted 3 5 to be threaded upon the end of a pipe or other hollow member through which the electric conductors leading to the contacts of the socket may be brought. Upon the under side of this base a is supported a bowl-shaped cono tact-plate 19, having oblique side walls and being secured at the upper edge to the insulating-base inthe manner shown or in any other suitable manner. Upon the oblique side walls are mounted the threaded shells 5 b b, which are adapted to receive the lampbases. Upon the central portion of this contact-plate b is supported an insulating-block g, upon the upper face of which is mounted a contact-plate c, the rim 0 of which is turned through the pipe or tube connected with the upward and constitutes the contacts for the central terminals of the lamps when the base thereof is screwed/into the shell 19. The plate a is secured to the block g by means of suitable screws 0 c and the block 9 is secured to the plate I) by means of one or more screws 0 the heads of which are adapted to be countersunk beneath the upper face of the block 9.

One oftheconductors formingonesideof the electric circuit of the socket may be brought 6o bushing c and secured to a screw or bindingpost 0 mounted upon the central contactplate 0. The other conductor may be passed through the central apertures in the contactplate 0, the base or block 9, and that in the central portion of the plate I) and connected with the screw or binding-post b With this arrangement of the conductors the plates 0 and b constitute the opposite terminals of the socket, and when the several lamps are secured into position they are connected in parallel.

A casing e surrounds the lower portion of the socket and is provided with openings to accommodate the shells b and the bushings h. It is secured at its upper edge to the base a, and is provided upon its lower end or portion with a removable cap or cover e, situated centrally with reference to the individual sockets. This cover may be removed when it is desired to gain access to the binding-screw 17 A bushing h is illustrated as interposed between the shell b and the casing 6 and serves to insulate the same and to aline the apertures in the contact-plate b and '8 5 casing e, as well as to assist in holding and supporting the casing e in position.

In Fig. 4 a modification is shown inwhioh the threaded shells b are flush with the casing e. o

The bowlshaped contact-plate described forms an electrical conductor to convey the current to the ring-terminals of the lamps, thus dispensing with wiring, and at the same time it forms an effective mechanical support without the provision of an additional supporting structure.

By the statement in the following claims that certain parts are associated with or carried by the base I broadly contemplate associatingsaid parts with the base in any suitable manner.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a plural-lamp socket, the combination with a suitable base, of a contact-plate mounted on said base, a plurality of shells for the lamp-bases carried on said plate, an exterior casing having openings to accommodate the lamp-bases, and insulating-rings passing through said openings and engaging said shells, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a plural-lamp socket, the combination with a suitable base, of a contact-plate mounted on said base, -a plurality of threaded shells for the lamp-bases carried on said plate, an exterior casing having openings to accommodate the lamp-bases, and threaded insulating-rings passing through said openings and threaded upon said shells, substantially as described.

3. An insulating-base, suitably-supported lamp-holding devices and associated contacts associated with said base, a casinghaving an opening opposite each lamp-holding device, and insulatingrings associated with said openings to maintain the same in alinement with said lamp-holding devices.

4. A cluster-lamp fixture comprising an insulating-base, suitably-supported lamp-holding devices and associated contacts associated with said base, a casing having an opening opposite each lamp-holding device, and insulating-rings fitting in said openings and secured to parts supported upon said base independently of said casing.

5. A cluster-lamp fixture comprising an insulating-base, a plurality of threaded shells suitably associated therewith, a casing having an opening opposite each shell, and insulating-rings fitting in said openings and secured to said shells.

(i. In a cluster-fixture, the combination with a base of insulating material constructed to receive sockets for electric lamps, of threaded metallic lamp-sockets suitably associated with said base, a metallic cover having holes registering with the sockets, and threaded insulating-bushings screwed over the sockets and constructed to hold the cover on the base and insulate the sockets from the cover.

7. The combination with a suitable base, of a casing having a plurality of openings, a plurality of threaded shells within said casing registering with said openings, insulating-rings interposed between the exterior of said shells and the walls of said openings to hold said casing in position rotarily and center contacts suitably associated with said base.

S. An insulated base,-center contacts suitably associated with said base, a casing having openings opposite said center contacts, threaded shells supported upon said casing opposite said respective openings, and insulating-rings interposed between said shells and the walls of said openings to hold said casing in position rotarily.

9. A lamp-socket having an insulatingbase, a contact-plate mounted thereon and having oblique side walls, contacts for the ring-terminals of the lamps carried upon said oblique Walls, an insulating-block mounted upon the lower portion of said plate and center contacts for the lamps mounted upon said block, substantially as described.

10. A cluster-lamp fixture, comprising an insulating-base, a number of lamp-sockets carried by the base, each socket comprising a central terminal and a ring-terminal with an insulating-bushing on the ring'terminal, and a detachable cover having openings through which the insulating-bushings protrude each at one edge only to hold the cover rotarily in place, while not interfering with the removal of the cover from the base.

11. A cluster-lamp fixture, comprising an insulating-base, a number of lamp-sockets carried by the base, each socket comprising a central terminal and a ring-terminal with an insulating-bushing on the ring-terminal, and a cover having openings through which the bushings partially protrude to hold the cover in place rotarily.

12. An electric-light-lamp cluster comprising an insulating-base, a plurality of lampreceivers supported upon said base, center contacts associated therewith, and a finishing cap or cover independent of the receivers and having openings registering with the receivers to permit the insertion of the lamps, and insulating-rings interposed between the receivers and the finishing cap or cover.

13. An electric-light-lamp cluster consisting of an insulating-base, a plurality of lampreceivers supported by said base, center contacts associated therewith, and a finishing or protecting cap or cover separated from the receivers by insulating material.

14. An electric-light-lamp cluster consisting of an insulating-base, a plurality of lampreceivers supported upon said base, center contacts associated therewith and a finishing cap or coverindependent of the receivers and having openings registering with the receivers to permit the insertion of the lamps, said finishing cap or cover being separated from the receivers by insulating material and the edges of said cap or cover being adapted to rest against said insulating-base.

15. An electric-light-lamp cluster, a pinrality of metallic receivers for the lamps carried by the base, a center contact for each receiver, electric connections extending to the receivers and center contacts and an independent finishing or protective cover separated from the receivers by insulating material, as described.

16. An electric-light-lamp cluster, comprisbases, a plurality of threaded shells suitably supported within said cap or cover, one op,- posite each of said openings, center contacts suitably supported, said threaded shells being separated from said cap or cover by insulating material, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the'presence of two wit- HBSSBS.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. Witnesses:

W. CLYDE JONES, M. R. ROCHFORD. 

